Central & Eastern Europe, Central Eurasia, and Turkey|
East East: Partnership Beyond Borders Program Projects
2006 Displaced Cultural Assets: Property Rights and
Political Problems Summary: Exchanges to elaborate solutions to problems of displaced cultural assets, de-politicization and taking political advantage of these issues, to formulate a collaborative opinion based on diverse experiences in Central Europe and to analyze implications of cultural assets as a consequence of shifting borders, e.g., on Polish-Ukrainian relations. From Quantity to Quality: Experiences
in Educational Reform in Poland and Serbia and Montenegro Summary: Exchange of experiences among educators, local government authorities and NGOs in Poland and Serbia and Montenegro, specifically to analyze the processes, best practices and lessons learned in education reform in Poland and to support professional capacity of educators in Serbia and Montenegro through training of trainers methodologies successfully implemented in Poland. Sarajevo
Notebook: European Union Policies towards the Western Balkans Summary: Exchanges in Zagreb, Ljubljana, Skopje, Pristina, Belgrade, Podgorica and Sarajevo, to engage public participation in and attract public attention to perspectives of EU policies in the western Balkans and to offer a communication platform to promote civil society engagement in informing processes of European integration for the countries of former Yugoslavia. Save Public Assets:
Civil Society Monitoring of Structural Fund Allocations Summary: Exchanges to contribute to civil society’s ability to develop a sustainable and effective monitoring mechanism, to enhance the capacity of civil society in the ten new EU member states to influence policy developments on regional, national and community levels and to raise public awareness in the new member states on the important role of monitoring and information activities. Practical Management Skills for Self-Government
Civil Servants Summary: Exchanges to promote higher professional standards of local self-government civil servants in Ukraine by learning practical management skills and experiences of civil servants in Poland, specifically to transfer know-how and knowledge to the eastern regions of Ukraine an as attempt to encourage a more thoughtful approach to European norms of local self-government. Best Practices of NGOs Working with Refugees and Asylum Seekers Summary: Exchange of experiences among NGOs working with refugees and asylum seekers to enhance the effectiveness and sustainability of this work, specifically to promote collaborative efforts among like-minded organizations to compose a policy paper and resource guide for refugee agencies working in the new EU member states and to develop innovative lobbying and awareness raising strategies and activities that will contribute to diversity sensitive legislation. Improvement of Municipal Services to Marginalized Groups
of Citizens in Georgia: Experiences in Poland Summary: Exchange of experiences designed to raise awareness of local officials in Georgia on the diversity of needs, expectations and possible solutions to serve better disabled citizens, senior citizens and refugees and immigrants, to provide an opportunity for skills and knowledge transfer of practical solutions implemented by local authorities in Poland to deliver better services to marginalized groups of society based on experiences in Poland. Alternatives Solutions to Conflict in Transnistria Summary: Exchanges for opinion-makers to develop a policy paper on the settlement of the Transnistrian conflict, specifically to formulate alternative scenarios to engage civil society representatives in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, and to facilitate public presentations of the policy paper to bring this analysis, discussion and debate to the public. Improving Efficiency
of Non-Governmental Organizations in Belarus: Experiences in Lithuania Summary: Exchanges designed to promote the development of democracy and public spirit in Belarus by strengthening the efficiency of Belarusian non-governmental organizations activities, to consolidate the knowledge and capacities of the representatives of Belarusian NGOs, to prepare a draft methodology of efficient NGO management based on experiences in Lithuania and suggestions of Belarusian NGOs and to adapt the methodology of efficient NGO management to the needs of Belarusian NGOs. Building Confidence in Hungarian-Romanian
Relations through Multicultural Education Summary: Exchanges to promote cooperation among institutions and NGOs in Hungary and Romania, specifically to seek to transform irregular communication into an efficient network of exchange among scholars and civil society actors in the context of European integration. Supporting Transition and Communication in Moldova: Experiences
in the Czech Republic Summary: Exchanges designed to train and support a group of elected and future municipal officers who offer a democratic alternative to the current approaches in Moldova by using the Czech transition process as an example of transformation and to foster cross-border networks of communication among activists in Moldova and the Czech Republic. Social Problems of Economic
Dislocation: Experiences in Industrial Donbass and Silesia Summary: Exchanges among community leaders to share experiences in engaging non-governmental organizations in resolving problems in old industrial regions, to transfer know-how and skills to local communities in Ukraine and to empower local communities to engage local authorities in collaborative initiatives designed to overcome social dislocations in marginalized communities. Overcoming
Discrimination and Marginalization of Disabled Children and their Families Summary: Exchange of experiences and knowledge transfer, specifically to present modern systems of providing equal opportunities for disabled people in society, models of integrated education, rehabilitation and care for disabled children and their families as implemented in Poland as well as examples of the development of civil society using the activities of the Association of Help for Disabled Children and its partners in Poland for possible adaptation to conditions and implementation in Ukraine. Democratic Leadership:
Young Leaders in Southeast Europe and the Caucasus Summary: Exchanges among young leaders, specifically to promote dialogue among young people from different ethnic backgrounds and countries, to build capacity of young leaders in mediation and negotiation skills and to promote engagement and empowerment of young leaders in the implementation of national youth strategies and policies. Publishing Cultures and Markets in the Western Balkans: Copyright
Protection and Combating Piracy Summary: Exchanges to promote cooperation and information sharing to combat piracy and violation of copyright in the book market in the Western Balkans and to promote transparency in and harmonization of copyright protection in the Western Balkans. Experiences and Lessons Learned after One Year of EU Membership:
Poland and Romania Summary: Exchanges in Romania and Poland designed to aid the policy learning efforts of the West and North West Development Regions in Romania by analyzing experiences in countries which acceded to the EU in 2004, specifically to aid Romanian regional authorities to improve administrative and policy capacity to implement decentralized activities related to the adoption of the acquis; to contribute to the strengthening of Romanian regional public authorities policy capacity from the experience of different regional authorities from acceding countries faced with similar policy challenges; and, to provide experts and professionals an opportunity to work together to find solutions to challenges of implementing the acquis at the regional level. Fifteen
Years of Migration Patterns and Policy Formulation Summary: Exchanges to bring together experts and representatives of non-governmental organizations in Central and Eastern Europe to establish long-term cooperation and exchange and to support the role of civil society actors and activists in analyzing and reflecting on migration issues and new multicultural diversity in Central and Eastern Europe in particular in the context of an enlarged EU. Environmental Education Cooperation: Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania Summary: Exchange among stakeholders in environmental education, specifically to promote implementation of collaborative environmental education strategies, to elaborate best practices in environmental education and to formulate collaborate activities to engage the public in environmental protection and awareness. Building Open Local Government: From Principles to Practice of
Good Governance Summary: Exchanges and workshops designed to build a framework for access to information, consultation and public participation in policy-making which will contribute to strengthening local government/citizen relations and fighting corruption, to promote, develop, facilitate and support partnership for regional non-governmental organizations and institutions to build collaborative projects and strategies in the region, to encourage policy dialogue among local government and civil society representatives in Romania, Moldova and Ukraine and to support the development of cooperation between local governments and civil society organizations. Barrier Free Open Cities: Protection of the
Rights of People with Disability Summary: Exchanges of best practices and lessons learned in advocacy to protect the rights of disabled people, specifically to draw on experiences of NGOs in Poland to inform media and advocacy work in Kazakhstan, to promote social awareness and responsibility in respecting the rights of disabled people and in community engagement and to initiate broader public discussions about legislation required to fight against discrimination of disabled people in Kazakhstan. Promoting Women's Involvement in Social and Political Life Summary: Exchange of experiences in implementing information campaigns by NGO activists seeking to promote active participation of women in social and political life, including participation in elections, and to promote empowerment of women to have political influence in decision-making about socio-economic and political issues. International e-Learning with
One Computer per Classroom: Estonia and Georgia Summary: Exchange of experiences and expertise in introducing modern information and communication technology in educational systems, specifically to bring experiences in Estonia to Georgia to assist local governments in Georgia in developing IT infrastructure in schools, to provide Georgian teachers with elementary computer skills and guidance in using opportunities provided by modern information technologies in teaching methodologies and, to support curriculum development with the assistance of an interactive learning environment promoting learning skills. Empowering Internally Displaced People: Experiences in Ukraine
and Azerbaijan Summary: Exchange of knowledge and experiences in working with displaced people, specifically to draw on experiences of Crimean Tatars, to contribute to empowering displaced people to have a voice in resolving socio-economic problems and defense of their rights and to mobilize displaced people to strengthen their abilities for self-governance. Local Government
in Ukraine: Experiences in Estonia during Preparation for EU Membership Summary: Exchanges designed to increase the competency and capacity of regional and local government officials in Ukraine specifically concerning EU integration, through sharing knowledge, experiences and know-how accumulated in Estonia during preparations for EU membership and to promote public awareness in Ukraine about EU integration policies and regional development in the EU. Civic Education for Young People Summary: Exchanges to create a strong and active youth environment in the Zaporizhzhya Region of Ukraine by sharing experiences with youth activists in Poland, to formulate a methodology of citizen education for youth which will be realized in a special Citizen Educational Center program to promote engagement and responsibility of youth leaders and to propose create solutions to overcome unemployment among young people. Networking for Good
Urban Governance Summary: Exchanges for representatives of municipalities, specifically to promote best practices to engage constructively in the development, implementation and dissemination of good urban governance and to improve the human and organizational capacity of local governments in Albania in formulating and implementing strategic development planning, participatory management and planning practices, mobilizing resources for development and managing quality services. Improved Public Service: Human Resources for Public Administration Summary: Exchanges, knowledge networking and transfer of expertise among public administration professionals, NGOs and scholars on issues crucial to the debate about modern public finance and effective financial management and to promote modern governance standards in countries of the New EU Neighborhood. Multilingual
Models in Education Summary: Exchange of experiences among educators in Latvia, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Kazakhstan to promote partnership and professional dialogue on issues of intercultural and bilingual education based on lessons learned and best practices in Latvia and Central Asia, to analyze difficulties encountered in intercultural and bilingual education as experienced within institutional, local, national and regional contexts and to explore models of cooperation between governmental and non-governmental organizations in introducing reforms in education. Current and Future Challenges in Curriculum Development:
Case Studies and Networking for Change Summary: Exchange of practitioners, researchers and policy-makers to identify best practices and lessons learned in education policy reform, to identify existing policy-making initiatives, procedures and involved institutions and to understand policy-making initiatives in curriculum development, decentralization and educational management, teacher training, equity and quality areas as developed in the region over the last years. European Integration:
Perspectives in Estonia and Bulgaria Summary: Exchanges of journalists and opinion-makers in Estonia and Bulgaria, specifically to analyze the impact of EU membership on the Estonian economy, Estonia’s political goals as a member of EU and practical European cooperation as conducted by the Estonian administration and engagement of third sector in European integration processes in the context of Estonia’s EU membership. Applying Restorative Practices in Criminal Policy Summary: Exchange of experiences specifically to contribute to the improvement of the quality and practical application of mediation and probation processes in Moldova by gathering new knowledge and practices from colleagues in Poland. Teachers’ Performance Standards: Slovenia and
Albania Summary: Exchanges among teachers and education professionals in Slovenia and Albania, specifically to develop professional teaching standards in early childhood education, elementary and secondary education in Albania through mentoring exchanges with professionals in Slovenia and to promote adaptation of innovative teaching methodologies and European standards for education in Albania. Anti-Trafficking Information Exchange and Knowledge Networking Summary: Exchange of information between governmental bodies and NGOs working on the problems of trafficking, to coordinate work and techniques of information exchange for collaboration and to propose recommendations to governments to engage civil society actors in prevention initiatives. Empowering
Education: Innovative Methodologies in Educational Reforms Summary: Exchange of experiences among representatives of educational structures and NGOs, specifically to share best practices in interactive teaching methodologies piloted and implemented in the Czech Republic and Turkey and to formulate recommendations for educational reforms in Azerbaijan based on European standards and experiences. Engaging NGOs in Monitoring Budgetary Processes Summary: Exchanges to enable the civil society sector in Kazakhstan to promote transparency in public spending by engaging with decision-making responsible for state budget processes, specifically by leveraging experiences in Central and Eastern Europe to inform civil society in Kazakhstan. Friendly EU Borders: Relations with New Eastern Neighbors Summary: To support a long-term initiative aimed at monitoring EU member states’ visa policy to eastern neighbors, specifically to examine visa practices in old and new EU member states, to analyze existing legal regulations, to collect data on human rights abuses in consular and border guard practice and to promote public awareness of the advantages of friendly and smart borders. Professional Policing and Protection of Rights of Victims of Domestic
Violence Summary: Exchange of experiences in professional policing, specifically to provide an opportunity for trainers in Georgia to learn experiences, new methodologies and technologies of police training implemented in the Czech Republic and to contribute to improving professional interventions in cases of domestic violence, particularly in the protection of rights of victims of domestic violence in Georgia based on experiences in the Czech Republic. Development
of Restorative Justice and Mediation in Central and Eastern Europe Summary: Exchange of experiences and knowledge transfer concerning previous achievements in conducting mediation and promoting restorative justice in Central and Eastern Europe, to formulate recommendations for further development of restorative justice, to establish and accept methods and measures facilitating further cooperation of associations and institutions concerned with restorative justice and to create a strategic program of cooperation for the next five years. Good Practices in Transition Processes in Slovakia: Exchange with
NGOs in Western Balkans Summary: Exchanges to bring together civil society activists in Bosnia and Herzegovina, Serbia and Kosovo with counterparts in Slovakia, specifically to promote good practices of transformation processes and building, strengthening and engaging all stakeholders in these processes, to analyze the roots of civic society and culture of citizens’ self-awareness in Slovakia and to promote professionalization and capacity building of local organizations in the western Balkans. Environmental Impact of the Oil
Industry Summary: Exchanges for NGOs of the Caspian and Black Sea regions to work together in proposing solutions to the environmental problems caused by the oil industry, specifically, to elaborate a methodology for an economic assessment of such environmental damage in the Caspian region, to assess the influence of environmental damage on revenues of the oil companies and in Azerbaijan and to promote transparency and public discussion of these issues. Mechanisms
for Implementing Migration Policy in Ukraine: EU Experience in Instituting
Readmission Agreements Summary: Exchange of experiences in working with illegal migrants in Poland and Ukraine within a long-term initiative to analyze international experiences in readmission agreements with the EU and the detention of illegal migrants in Ukraine and Poland, to provide an opportunity for comparative analysis and recommendations for improving conditions for detainees in Ukraine, to formulate recommendations for identifying individuals in detention centers and to promote public awareness of best practices in the readmission of illegal migrants. Challenges and Opportunities for Open Local Government: The Role
of Citizens Summary: Exchanges designed to build a framework for access to information, consultation and public participation in policy-making which will contribute to strengthening local government/citizen relations, to promote, develop, facilitate and support partnership for regional non-governmental organizations and institutions to work collaboratively in developing strategies to raise the accountability of public authorities and representatives of public institutions at local level and, to encourage NGO involvement in the decision-making processes at the level of local public administration. Albania’s Path to European Integration Summary: Exchanges to focus on various aspects of European integration processes in order to dispel the myths that currently surround these issues in Albania; to engage university students and opinion leaders in the media and think tanks to stimulate a national and public debate about advantages and disadvantages of European integration processes; and, to utilize the extensive experience and expertise of past and current candidate EU nations in informing this debate in Albania. Local Mass Media: Information or Propaganda? Summary: Exchanges among journalists and editors in Ukraine and the Czech Republic to offer an opportunity for journalists in Ukraine to learn experiences and best practices in the Czech Republic in relationships between authorities and mass media, of overcoming irregular access to information, management of mass media and European standards in mass media as implemented in the Czech Republic. Public Broadcasting in Regions: Experiences in Poland and Ukraine Summary: Exchange of experiences among media experts in Poland and Ukraine, specifically to analyze experiences in Poland of public television and public broadcasting by regional media and to promote the development in Ukraine of a statute on public broadcasting and public service through the media in the context of civil society development. Catching up with European Economies: Regional Development and
SMEs Summary: Exchanges to identify, analyze and share best practices in regional and SME development, to provide policy recommendations in the framework of challenges and opportunities of EU integration, to promote a public/private regional dialogue on capacity to comply with EU policies on regional development and employment and to strengthen public awareness of tangible benefits and concerns of job creation in a regional context. Building Capacities for Youth Advocacy in Southeast Europe Summary: Exchanges to empower young people to engage in society by offering exchanges of best practices in capacity building, networking, advocacy and lobbying; to promote the implementation of national youth strategies by the governments; to evaluate youth-related developments in southeast Europe in the framework of EU integration; and, to promote the sustainability of the Balkan Youth Initiative as a grassroots initiative of young leaders in southeast Europe. ROAD / Rural Opportunities and Approaches for Development Summary: Exchange among all stakeholders in rural development to promote cooperation among private and public sectors and advocacy for rural economic development, specifically to formulate a comprehensive approach to sustainable rural development regionally, including the establishment of a Rural Development Fund, to be presented to relevant EU bodies. Awareness and Action in Preventing and Treating Hepatitis C among
Vulnerable Sectors of Society Summary: Exchange of experiences among health care professionals and policy makers to compare best practices hepatitis C prevention, diagnostics and treatment for drug users, to formulate guidelines for raising awareness and comprehensive responses to hepatitis C among drug users, elaborate strategic recommendations to promote advocacy and policy work and to engage all relevant stakeholders in public debates and information exchange. Development of Philanthropy: Public Benefit Summary: Exchange within a long-term initiative to promote the development of philanthropy in Slovakia, specifically to analyze experiences and expertise from countries which have approved an Act on Public Benefit, to exchange experiences directly connected with defining key terms used by the third sector and to establish relationships with experts on public benefit that will enable ongoing information exchange. Development of Standards and Expertise: Responsible Ethics Practice in Biomedical
Research and Health Care Summary: Exchange of experiences and expertise in ethical practices in the health care sector, specifically to promote the implementation of European principles and standards in Ukraine by offering an opportunity for professionals and practitioners in Ukraine to engage internationally with a community of experts and to promote the introduction of legal protections and ethical standards in biomedical research and health care provision in Ukraine. Education for Regional and Rural Development: Hungary and Ukraine Summary: Exchange of experiences in rural and regional development, specifically to promote educational partnership between Hungary and Ukraine in terms of utilizing rural development experiences in Hungary during the EU accession processes and to initiate ongoing information and expertise exchange. Domestic Election Observation: Comparative Experiences in Central
Europe Summary: Exchange of experiences among election monitors and observers, specifically to build capacity for this work in Albania in accordance with OSCE/ODIHR standards, to familiarize civil society in Albania with standards of electoral processes and follow-up electoral reporting and monitoring and to promote the sustainability of coalition of domestic election observers in Albania in partnership with international organizations. Gender: Equal 2 Equal Summary: Exchange in a long-term schools development initiative, specifically to expand this initiative to include teachers and pupils in Armenia, to identify innovative methodologies of teaching gender equality in schools and to promote critical engagement by teachers and students against negative influences against gender equality. European Integration and Democratic Development Summary: Exchange to define how integration processes into Europe are designed and implemented, specifically to analyze how these processes impact processes of democratization and to promote cooperation among governmental structures, NGOs and mass media in bringing to the public’s attention the roles of European integration in democratization processes. Childhood without Violence Summary: Exchange of experiences among social care providers working with victims of violence during childhood, specifically to compare experiences in Poland and Ukraine in models of non-governmental Community Development Centers as a resource of expertise and engagement with families to prevent violence in the home and to promote public engagement and empowerment in seeking solutions to overcome conditions which may result in violence. Cooperation Strategies for Local Communities Summary: Exchanges among civil society actors and activists in neighboring communities of Poland and Ukraine, specifically to promote the creation of public strategies to engage non-governmental organizations in local decision-making, to provide an opportunity for activists in Ukraine to analyze good practice and mistakes made in local community development in Poland and to promote public-private partnership in local community development. Expanding Europe: Latvia-Moldova Cooperation for
European Integration Summary: Exchanges to identify best practices and mechanisms of public participation in Latvia which might be applicable in Moldova, to raise public awareness of civic participation and government accountability as one of the key aspects in the process of EU integration, to facilitate dialogue between state and non-state actors in Moldova based on experiences in Latvia and to promote good practices of public participation among state and non-state actors in Moldova. Analyzing and Debating the Future of EU Enlargement Summary: Exchanges to raise the profile of policy debate on implications and challenges of further EU enlargement in three new member states of the EU – Czech Republic, Poland and Latvia, specifically to stimulate public debate by raising the profile of these issues in major national media and by raising awareness among key policymakers in the new EU member states. Civil Society Organizations and Local Public Administrations: Hungary
and Bosnia and Herzegovina Summary: Exchanges among non-governmental organizations and civic activists in Hungary and Bosnia and Herzegovina, specifically to analyze the development of non-governmental/public administration cooperation and partnership as experienced in Hungary during the EU accession processes and to promote in Bosnia and Herzegovina public and non-governmental engagement in social development. Preventing Child Labor: Best Practices and Lessons Learned Summary: Exchange of information and best practices among professionals working to prevent/combat child labor and trafficking in children, specifically to share best practices of community awareness activities, identification of vulnerable children and integration into support programs, developing partnerships between NGOs and public institutions and engaging civil society in public dialogue about child labor. Analysis of the Efficiency of Expenditures to Combat an HIV/AIDS
Epidemic in Kazakhstan Summary: Exchanges to engage NGOs in transparent budget processes of international investments, to monitor previous and current installments paid to the government specifically by the Global Fund in its work with HIV/AIDS, to monitor informal/shadow flows of money budgeted for HIV/AIDS programs, to raise public awareness domestically and internationally about this analysis and to develop a set of practical recommendations to the government of Kazakhstan based on international experiences. Restorative Justice in Eastern Europe: Strategies for Partnership Summary: Exchanges to monitor experiences in implementation of restorative justice programs in Ukraine through non-governmental partnerships with organizations in Poland, Moldova and Russia and to identify international perspectives, best practices and recommendations for state authorities in Ukraine. Volunteering in Social Assistance Centers: Poland and Russia Summary: Exchange of experiences among volunteers in state social help centers in Lodz and Nizhny Novgorod, specifically to compare experiences in implementing programs for disadvantaged and marginalized sectors of society and to promote engagement of the legal communities in protecting the rights of disadvantaged and marginalized groups. Civic Activism and Awareness for Senior Pupils Summary: Exchange to promote civic awareness and activism among senior high school pupils, specifically to provide a communication platform for pupils and teachers from neighboring countries to debate stereotypes and (mis)perceptions of neighbors and to develop skills to engage in conflict mediation and mutual respect for difference. Development of European Studies in Ukraine: Problems and Perspectives Summary: Exchange designed to analyze two years’ experience of implementation of the Bologna Process in Ukraine, specifically to compare experiences in new EU member states, to exchange best practices and lessons learned among specialists in educational methodologies and innovative teaching and to promote Ukrainian engagement in EU educational programming. Public Engagement in Local Development Strategies Summary: Exchanges in a long-term initiative addressed to local development strategies for the Eastern regions of Ukraine, specifically to disseminate among local community leaders and entrepreneurs Polish practices of public engagement and influence in developing, implementing and monitoring local development strategies. Equal Chances without Borders: Opportunities for Disadvantaged
Pupils in Hungary, Poland and Romania Summary: Exchange for teachers in primary schools in Hungary, Poland and Romania, specifically to share teaching methodologies in engaging socially disadvantaged and handicapped pupils in an integrated approach to teaching and to explore the applicability of innovative approaches based on European standards in regional schools. Belarus and the EU before and after
Presidential Elections Summary: Exchanges to inspire debate about the future of EU-Belarus relations, specifically to transmit knowledge and experiences of opportunities and challenges afforded by European integration for the development of democratic institutions, rule of law and consolidation of the role of NGOs in Belarus and to stimulate European discussion on Belarus and its future status in EU policy. Raising Awareness in Kazakhstan of National Health Accounts Systems: Experiences
in Poland and Estonia Summary: Exchange among health care specialists and non-governmental organizations, specifically to provide an opportunity for knowledge transfer of experiences in Estonia and Poland in planning and implementing National Health Accounts and to empower stakeholders in Kazakhstan to analyze and plan NHA system implementation strategies in Kazakhstan based on best practices/lessons learned in Estonia and Poland. Ukraine and the Enlarged EU: Ukrainian-Russian-Polish
Relations in the Context of European Integration Summary: Exchanges to promote an open dialogue and discussion among experts and analysts in Poland, Ukraine and Russia, specifically to engage young researchers in long-term collaborative analysis of the influence of Russian-Ukrainian relations on Poland and the EU and Ukraine-EU relations as well as opportunities and risks of the new neighborhood and strategies and concrete solutions in building the new relationships in the context of European integration. Young Lawyers for Change Summary: Exchange designed to promote the development of regional strategies addressed to improving women’s rights protection especially in the areas of violence against women and employment discrimination and to empower a network of trained lawyers developing and undertaking common projects aiming at improving of women’s rights situation in the region. National Credit Systems in Higher Education: Experiences and Challenges Summary: Exchange of experiences among educators Central and Eastern Europe and the former Soviet Union to provide an opportunity to compare experiences in higher education reform, specifically in introducing credit systems into higher education, to identify best practices and challenges faced by institutions undergoing transition and reform. Butterfly Children: Grassroots Organization for the Treatment
of Children with Rare Disease Summary: Exchange for parents and families of children with a rare disease, specifically to share experiences in raising public and official awareness, designing educational programs and disseminating information and to share models of organizing support networks for these children, their families and care-givers. Inter-Ethnic Dialogue: Engaging Non-Governmental Organizations Summary: Exchange among NGOs in Kosovo and Slovakia, specifically to offer the non-governmental community in Kosovo an opportunity to overcome critical problems of communication among all stakeholders addressing the needs of the majority and minority communities in Kosovo and to address practical requirements of reconciliation and cooperation for local community sustainability and development by analyzing experiences of NGOs in Slovakia during the velvet revolution, peaceful split of the former Czechoslovakia, pre-election activities, building civil society and democratization processes leading to EU membership. European Social Standards for Rural Communities Organizer: Regional Development Agency Trans-Trakt, Zhovkva, Lviv region in partnership with the Association of Regional Development Agencies of Ukraine Kyiv, Rzeszow Regional Development Agency, www.cwt.rarr.rzeszow.pl, www.rarr.rzeszow.pl, Regional Institute for Sustainable Rural Development Tarnobrzeg, Eco Counseling Center Cahul Moldova and Regional Ecologic Survey Center Romania Summary: Exchange of experiences among rural and regional development agencies in Poland, Ukraine, Romania and Moldova, specifically to improve effectiveness of social investment in rural regions, to promote public/private partnership in rural community development and to compare models of development centers for rural communities. Learning to Define Public Housing Policies Summary: Exchange within a long-term initiative, specifically to bring together representatives of non-governmental organizations, academia and municipal authorities in the western Balkans, to evaluate progress in improving living conditions in illegal settlements and improved access of marginalized and vulnerable groups to affordable housing, to compare experiences in providing the legal, financial and institutional framework for social housing and low-cost housing and to promote public/private partnership in urban governance. Regional Responses to Visa Liberalization in the Western Balkans Summary: Exchanges to develop recommendations to the governments in the region for the necessary reforms addressing the free movement of people, to formulate recommendations for authorities to conduct reforms, legal harmonization and efficient implementation, to create a network of experts and stakeholders dedicated to this task at national and regional levels, to create conditions for an active collaboration between the government and civil society, to promote active citizenship and civic education to monitor government performance and, to ensure greater transparency of government institutions. EU Standards in Social, Youth and Public Policies: Experiences
in Poland and Lithuania Summary: Exchanges for representatives of local authorities and non-governmental leaders in Ukraine on issues of European integration, including EU legislation, institutions, policies and procedures, specifically in implementing EU standards in everyday practice in consideration of experiences in Poland and Lithuania and to adapt on-going training methodologies as implemented in Poland and Lithuania. Oversight of Food Safety and Consumer Protection: Experiences
in Hungary and Bulgaria Summary: Exchange of experiences among civil society activists concerned with food safety and consumer protection, specifically to transfer knowledge and experiences gained in Hungary to empower consumer protection organizations in Bulgaria and to analyze implementation of European standards in food safety for adaptation in Bulgaria. Psychological Rehabilitation: Experiences in Bulgaria and Kyrgyzstan Summary: Exchange for professional care-givers and volunteers specifically to promote the creation of stable mechanisms for improving efficiency and effectiveness of psychological aid and support in Kyrgyzstan by analyzing models of psychological development and rehabilitation in Bulgaria and to attract all relevant stakeholders in Kyrgyzstan to engage in adopting new methodologies of psychological care. Effective Community Development: Poland and Belarus Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations in Poland and Belarus, specifically to promote knowledge transfer and experiences in Poland of civil society participation in local community development and engaging all relevant stakeholders in ensuring sustainability of local communities. Turkey and the EU: Fostering Debate
in Estonia Summary: Exchanges to raise the level of debate in Estonia of Turkish accession to the EU, specifically to bring information and analysis to a greater public audience in Estonia and to engage young people in Estonia and Turkey to share experiences of Estonia’s accession processes and membership in the EU and of Turkey’s accession debate. Capacity Building for
LGBT Activists Summary: Exchanges among non-governmental organizations and activists to provide an opportunity for activists in Kazakhstan to experience the quality of work of like-minded organizations and activists in Central Europe, to generate new ideas for organizing resource and consulting centers and centers for psychological and legal assistance in Kazakhstan and to initiate public discussions in Kazakhstan about fighting discrimination and legal protection against discrimination. Citizen Participation in Decision-Making in Public Health Summary: Exchanges among health care professionals and non-governmental organizations, specifically to promote citizen engagement in decision-making of local and regional health authorities by involving citizens into activities of new mechanisms for public control, to promote consolidated decision-making by all stakeholders, including local government authorities, citizens, NGOs, patients and health professionals and to develop effective methodologies for adapting best practices/lessons learned in Bulgaria to conditions in Ukraine. OPEN DOOR / Art for Social Change Summary: Exchanges to create a platform through which young people in marginalized and/or disadvantaged communities may develop new and collaborative approaches for social inclusion and non-formal education, specifically to offer young people new skills for empowerment within the community and to overcome stereotypes of marginalized and vulnerable communities. European Neighborhood Policy and Azerbaijan: EU Experiences of
the Czech Republic Summary: Exchanges to promote public awareness and engagement in European integration processes in Azerbaijan, specifically to analyze the European Union as a global actor and challenges facing the EU in international relations and perspectives of future enlargement, issues related to ENP and EU role in democratization and the role of civil society in the implementation and monitoring of the ENP in Azerbaijan. Health Sector Reform: Latvia and Georgia Summary: Exchanges for non-governmental organizations in Latvia and Georgia, specifically to analyze the key roles played by non-governmental organizations in Latvia in raising public awareness of health care reform and civic participation in the development of legislation for health care reform and to formulate approaches for cooperation and constructive dialogue in Georgia among stakeholders, including state agencies, NGOs, municipalities and ministries, based on experiences in Latvia. Development and Sustainability of Women’s and Youth Information
Centers Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations in small towns, to support the development of a Women’s Information Center in Zhitomir based on experiences in Poland and to encourage collaborative initiatives to promote professional activity and engagement of women in local community development. Respect for Difference / National and Cultural Minorities Summary: Exchanges for representatives of national and cultural minorities and decision-makers, specifically to reveal European, Polish and Kashubian experiences in promoting ethnic harmony and social integration built in the processes of changes in the political system in Poland and European accession and to analyze standards of European law concerning national and ethnic minorities, development and protection of cultural heritage and institutional solutions/models. Engaging Young People: Let’s Preserve Sary-Chelek Natural
Reserve! Summary: Exchanges designed to mobilize youth and young people to be active in their communities, specifically by engaging them in improving the ecological environment of a natural reserve and to promote community engagement among young people by introducing methodologies of volunteerism in other societies. Networks to Enhance Scholarly Research Literacy Summary: Exchange to build a communication network among students, professors, mentors, peer-reviewers and editors of scholarly journals, specifically to overcome past legacies and mentalities which did not prioritize international collaboration and cooperation in scholarly pursuits and to offer innovative approaches/best practices to overcome unfavorable conditions and brain drain in higher education in formerly socialist countries. Building Partnerships at the Local Level in Serbia: Experiences
in the Czech Republic Summary: Exchange within a long-term initiative, specifically to engage municipal authorities in Serbia in an exchange with municipal authorities in the Czech Republic to demonstrate new approaches utilized in the Czech Republic of engaging local authorities in partnerships with non-governmental organizations in addressing social concerns of towns and to analyze productive experiences of involving the public in solving problems of local development and sustainability as a basis to adapt practical recommendations for implementation in Serbia. Trust-Building Initiative for the European Union Summary: Exchange of experiences among European integration activists, experts and authorities in Serbia and Montenegro, Bosnia and Herzegovina and Croatia, specifically to establish an idea exchange network of best practices/lessons learned in engaging non-governmental organizations in European integration issues and civil society participation in public debates concerning European integration. Fostering Partnerships / Challenges
in the Development of the Third Sector in Russia and in Poland Summary: Exchange for representatives of civil society in Poland and Russia, specifically to exchange ideas and experiences in atomization of local communities, community development and assistance to migrants and refugees, and to promote better conditions for the development of bilateral initiatives between Poland and Russia and positively influence relations between Poland and Russia. New Methodologies
of Non-Formal Adult Education Summary: Exchange for professionals and teachers of adult education, specifically to share innovations in methodologies and skills of adult education in harmonization with European standards and to promote professionalization of adult educators in the Caucasus region as based on experiences and expertise in the Baltic countries. Public Achievement: Globally Aware/Socially Responsible Citizens Summary: Exchange for young people to encourage engagement to make positive changes in their immediate environment, to promote positive engagement and awareness among youth by providing alternatives for constructive rather than destructive behaviors and to overcome stereotypes of apathy among young people. Best Practices and Development Models for Alternatives in Agriculture Summary: Exchange for farmers, specialists, NGOs and local authorities, specifically to share experiences in methodologies and implementation of alternative production models in agriculture and to analyze best practices as implemented in Romania with possible adaptation in Armenia, to establish survey models and techniques for the maintenance of eco-systems and to promote the biodiversity of organic farms, agricultural regions and natural resources. From Education to Integration: Overcoming Social Exclusion in
Poland and Ukraine Summary: Exchanges to promote non-governmental engagement in long-term solutions to prevent social marginalization of people in danger of social exclusion, including drug and alcohol addicts, the elderly, single mothers, victims of domestic abuse and long-term unemployed, specifically to encourage information sharing, skills transfer and best practice exchange among informal and formal organizations and volunteers. School of Changes for
the Better! Summary: Exchanges to promote activities in local communities in Belarus, specifically to promote the transformation of village schools into local community centers of social development and civic engagement. The Flying School / Poland and Belarus Summary: Exchange for teachers, parents and pupils designed to share methodologies of informal education based on experiences in Poland and partnerships between secondary school students in Poland and Belarus to share information and engage young people in independent intellectual development. Equal Treatment of Members of Vulnerable Groups: Penal Offence
Sentencing Summary: Exchanges for civil society activists in Romania and Bulgaria, specifically to add an international component to this long-term national work by identifying best practices and alternative experiences, to engage a consultative group of experts who provide expertise to civil society organizations engaged in this work, to facilitate access of network members in Bulgaria and Romania to experiences of members of the wider network at an international level and to facilitate capacity building for civil society organizations in Romania and Bulgaria and knowledge transfer from more experienced NGOs. Development and Implementation of Environmental Education Methodologies:
Civic Activism Summary: Exchanges and study visits for civil society and environmental activists in Bosnia and Herzegovina and Hungary, specifically to elaborate new education modules for adaptation in Bosnia and Herzegovina based on experiences in Hungary, to encourage interactive learning methodologies among teachers, pupils, parents and school authorities as an approach to engaging all stakeholders in public participation and civic initiative. Sharing Experiences of NGOs and Journalists: Stakeholders in EU
Accession Processes Summary: Exchanges among non-governmental and media representatives in the Czech Republic and Macedonia, specifically to transfer know-how and knowledge generated during the accession process of Czech Republic, to contribute to an understanding of policy making processes on the national level and decision making and coalition building processes in the EU and the roles of different policy agents in both the EU and candidate countries, to empower NGOs to participate actively in policy making processes in the framework of EU accession and to raise the awareness of journalists about EU issues and about the necessity to inform objectively about EU accession processes. Common Interests, Common
Problems: Economic, Social and Political Questions of Agriculture Summary: Exchange for managers of agricultural production and farmers to share experiences of the changes which affected agriculture in Hungary after joining the European Union and to assess advantages, disadvantages and opportunities of increased European integration on the agricultural sector. Black Sea Region in the New Enlarged Europe Summary: Exchange for young leaders from the NGO sector, civic activists and students, specifically to create a framework for sharing opinions, information and experiences regarding interaction between the Black Sea Region and the European Union, to engage young leaders in the Black Sea Region with young leaders in the European Union in international debates and public awareness building about European integration and to overcome existing stereotypes and fears still present among neighboring countries. Municipal Administrative Structures: Partnership and Collaboration Organizers: Association of Development of Small Towns of Tajikistan Vatanam, Dushanbe, www.vatanam.freenet.tj, Public Fund of Support of Programs of Development, Bishkek and Association of Cities of Kirghiz Republic, Bishkek, www.citykr.kg Summary: Exchange for representatives of municipal government and non-governmental organizations in Tajikistan and Kyrgyzstan, specifically to compare experiences in democratic norms, procedures and standards in the implementation of municipal services and to explore opportunities for partnership and collaboration in developing joint initiatives for local community development. Deportation, Rehabilitation and Repatriation of Meskheti Turks
and Crimean Tatars: Similarities and Differences Summary: Exchange of knowledge and experiences among non-governmental organizations representing and working with displaced people, specifically to compare self-organization experiences in the communities of Meskheti Turks and Crimean Tatars in the context of negotiated return. Policy Reform in Local Development: Local Development Agents Summary: Exchange for representatives of non-governmental organizations, local, regional and national institutions and the business community, to share best practices and lessons learned in local development, to promote regional cooperation based on the Local Development Agent model and to raise awareness and disseminate information to promote transparency and efficiency of local public administration. Monitoring Public Procurement in Central Asia: Lessons Learned
in Central Europe Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations in Central Asia engaged in monitoring public procurement and expenditures, specifically to learn best practices and lessons learned of non-governmental organizations in the Czech Republic in assessing transparency and accountability in public procurement systems and to formulate recommendations to improve effectiveness and efficiency of public expenditure. I Vote For: Experiences and Lessons of Civic Engagement in Overcoming
Corruption Summary: Exchange among non-governmental organizations working to engage civil society in post-socialist countries in public monitoring of governmental accountability, specifically to draw on experiences in Estonia on public engagement and cooperation with media and to analyze how civic organizations may monitor new power formation in conditions of proportional representation electoral systems. Cross-Border Learning to Strengthen Local Partnerships
/ Overcoming Poverty and Exclusion Summary: Exchanges to promote participatory local development planning and action in municipalities with marginalized Roma communities, to widen access to policies and practices among vulnerable municipalities and regions through cross-country exchange and collaboration and to promote adoption of effective working models and practices to combat social exclusion by articulating barriers, approaches/methods to overcome them, publishing and disseminating case studies and handbooks. Have a Nice Trip: Information Campaign for Migrant Workers Summary: Exchanges and information campaigns to provide migrant women from Ukraine with reliable information regarding working and living conditions in Poland and to raise awareness of issues of safe migration, including job migration, and legal protection of migrants, in efforts to combat trafficking. School of Hope:
Overcoming Isolation of People with Physical Disability Summary: Exchanges among non-governmental organizations working with and representing people with physical disability in Poland and Belarus, specifically to share experiences and best practices in promoting social integration of people with disability and to initiate public discussions in Belarus to raise awareness of the challenges faced by people with physical disability. Local Cooperation and Community Development: Rural Tourism Summary: Exchange of experiences and knowledge transfer specifically of best practices/lessons learned in Poland of developing rural tourism as a tool for local community sustainability and to promote the viability of rural tourism models as an approach to economic development of local communities in Ukraine and Georgia. Therapeutic Community Rehabilitation for Drug Addicts Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations working with young drug addicts, specifically to introduce to Ukraine innovative methodologies of therapeutic community rehabilitation implemented in Poland and to strengthen professional qualifications of non-governmental organizations working with young drug addicts in Ukraine. From Different to Equal: Mainstreaming Gender Studies Summary: Exchange for non-governmental organizations and academicians involved in transitional reform of education and legislation through implementation of National Action Plans for gender equality, specifically to formulate collaborative strategic goals and draft action plans for the engagement of Centers for Gender Studies in transitional societies and educational/legislation reform and to create a communication platform and ICT forum to facilitate collaboration among gender centers, non-governmental organizations and universities. Civil Participation in the Implementation of EU Nature Conservation
Directives Summary: Exchange for representative of non-governmental organizations engaged in nature conservation, to strengthen public participation of the civic sector by providing this opportunity to interact with intergovernmental sector responsible for environmental protection and conservation and to promote collaborative strategies among non-governmental organizations in monitoring conservation policies. Local Government in Crimean Regions: Experiences of Poznan and
Mlawa Powiat Summary: Exchanges for representatives of local authorities in Poland and Ukraine, specifically to analyze modern principles of management and small city and village development and to promote best practices and lessons learned of partnerships among local authorities, the business community and the non-governmental sector based on experiences in Poland. Choose Your Future / Civic Engagement for Roma and non-Roma Youth Summary: Exchange for young people to participate in an innovative methodology of intercultural engagement, specifically to provide an opportunity for young people to establish initiatives to promote participatory involvement in social processes in local communities and to promote integration of these models of intercultural communication and engagement into regular programs and support of local communities. Practical Assistance to Municipalities: Experiences of Turkey
and Azerbaijan Summary: Exchanges for representatives of municipalities, specifically to contribute to improving the functioning of the municipal system in Azerbaijan through sharing experiences with municipal managers in Turkey, to enhance skills of income generation and distribution of municipal managers and to analyze models of cooperation between municipalities and the public. Education Instead of Punishment / Juvenile Justice Reform Summary: Exchange for non-governmental activists and lawyers in Poland and Russia, specifically to analyze European standards of legal reform and social and legal child protection and to share experiences in Poland in reforming juvenile justices systems and introducing educational approaches to rehabilitation programs and special courts for juveniles. Principles of Good Governance Summary: Exchange for civil society organizations, city planners, municipal officers and local authorities to share opinions, experiences and ideas about cooperation on local development issues to maximize benefit for society, especially in consideration of vulnerable sectors of society, and to promote civil society engagement in local decision-making. Engaging Youth Leaders as Active Citizens in the Black Sea Region Summary: Exchange to provide an opportunity for youth leaders in Bulgaria, Georgia, Romania, Russia, Ukraine, Turkey and Moldova to engage as an international network in environmental conservation and protection of the Black Sea coastal regions, specifically to promote a civil sector voice in the implementation of regional agreements and projects including the Danube/Black Sea Strategic Partnership, the Black Sea Ecosystem Recovery Project and EU policies relevant to this area and to share experiences and best practices of public participation in decision-making on environmental concerns. The Women’s Movement Today: Ideologies, Practices and Prospects Summary: Exchange for women’s activists in the post-Soviet space, specifically to review, assess and develop new strategies for women’s rights advocacy, to promote women’s perspectives and participation in strategic decision-making processes and to advance the implementation of standards of gender equality. Local Economic Development in Kosovo: Experiences in Slovenia Summary: Exchange for municipal administrators in Kosovo to see first-hand a vibrant development environment in Slovenia and to analyze the role of Slovenian municipalities in local development, options and roles of vocational training in economic transition periods and real estate development as models for possible adaptation in Kosovo. Consequences of Long-Term Imprisonment: Re-integration into Society Summary: Exchange for NGO and penitentiary representatives as well as psychologists and social workers in prisons, to contribute to effective solutions of re-integrating former prisoners into society and to open communication and dialogue among experts and stakeholders specifically to promote engagement of civic associations in formulating approaches to re-integration into society of people who served long-term prison sentences. Capacity Building for
Working with Socially Excluded Young People Summary: Exchange for social workers to promote capacity building in working with young people, particularly to explore and analyze non-formal education methodologies for engaging young people on the margins of society and to share best practices and lessons learned in non-formal education in the context of enhancing youth work comprehensively. The Future of Blogging in Kazakhstan and Central Asia Summary: Exchange to introduce the idea of blogging as a form of participatory media and civic journalism among the population of Kazakhstan and in Central Asia and to build a strong blogging community with a developed sense of social responsibility and codes and rules of conduct. Ukraine, Poland and Germany in Europe:
Ukraine and the EU Summary: Exchange for policy-makers, historians, students of history and international relations and local public leaders, to undertake a comprehensive analysis of the relationships among Ukraine, Poland and Germany in the context of European integration and specifically to analyze new trends in foreign policy in Ukraine and the impact of Ukraine/EU relations. Social Partnerships: Transfer of Practical Knowledge and Expertise Summary: Exchanges to promote partnerships between the non-governmental sector and local authorities at the regional level to solve community problems similar in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, to transform public opinion and current social practices by introducing new and more effective methods for community problem solving in small communities and to contribute to the accumulation of experience and expertise by creating and developing social partnerships and identifying alternative solutions to existing problems. International Exchanges Financed by European Funds and EU Financial
Resources: NGO Advisors Summary: Exchanges within a long-term initiative for civil society actors in Poland and Ukraine, specifically to transfer knowledge and best practices to non-governmental organizations in the Chernigov region of Ukraine based on experiences in Poland in engaging in EU financed international exchanges and to promote international partnerships to regional NGOs in Ukraine. Euro-Integration: Media in Estonia and Georgia Summary: Exchanges for journalists in Estonia and Georgia to analyze practical implementation of European Neighborhood policies and programs in the context of Estonian-Georgian relations, to promote regular information exchange between Estonia and Georgia, to share experiences in European integration initiatives specifically in press freedoms and media self-regulation. Strengthening Cross-Border Cooperation in the Lower Danube Euroregion Summary: Exchanges for representatives of local and regional public administrations and NGOs in Moldova, Romania and Ukraine, to propose solutions to common cross-border issues of the Lower Danube Euroregion, to identify successful practices in regional governance ad to facilitate a more dynamic cooperation of Euroregion specialty commissions by evaluating activities performed within the Euroregion in the 2006 and elaborating a draft plan for 2007. Transnistria and Regional Security: Challenges and Opportunities Summary: Exchanges for young people to engage with non-governmental organizations and decision-makers in Moldova, Ukraine and Romania, to facilitate sharing of practical experiences and debate on regional security issues specifically Transnistria, to provide young people with information about successful practices in regional security and to encourage social activism of young people. European Standards of Housing Summary: Exchanges for civic activists and associations, specifically to share experiences on solving problems concerning maintenance and exploitation of housing resources, to analyze relevance of best practices and models of community associations in Poland and to promote collaboration and cooperation among stakeholders of housing resources in Kaliningrad based on experiences in Poland. Practical Implementation of Public Sector Initiatives: Local Governments
and NGOs Summary: Exchanges for representatives of local government and non-governmental organizations in Poland and Ukraine, specifically to share experiences and best practices of public participation in local decision-making and ensuring access to information according to European standards and based on Poland’s membership in the EU. Enhancing Police Intervention in Domestic Violence Cases Summary: Exchange for police management and instructors, specifically to develop effective educational mechanisms to be used in training police officers in domestic violence cases, to identify weak points in policing domestic violence cases and to formulate solutions to overcome identified weaknesses and to share experiences and best practices with the aim of formulating strategies for training police officers in issues |
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Central & Eastern Europe, Central Eurasia, and Turkey